<p>Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a surprise July 23 snap election on Monday, a day after his Socialists suffered a drubbing in local and regional polls.</p>.<p>Widely seen as a dress rehearsal for a general election that had been expected at the end of the year, Sunday's polls saw the main opposition conservative Popular Party chalk up the largest number of local votes.</p>.<p>The PP also scored significant gains at a regional level, seizing six regions that had been under Socialist control.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/biden-spains-sanchez-to-discuss-russia-ukraine-war-at-white-house-1218155.html" target="_blank">Biden, Spain's Sanchez to discuss Russia-Ukraine war at White House</a></strong></p>.<p>In a televised address, Sanchez said he had informed King Felipe VI of his decision to dissolve parliament and "call a general election" on July 23.</p>.<p>"I have taken this decision in light of the results of yesterday's elections," he said.</p>.<p>"As the head of the government and of the Socialist party, I take responsibility for the results and I think it is necessary to respond and submit our democratic mandate to the popular will."</p>.<p>The polls will come shortly after Spain takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union on July 1.</p>.<p>In office since 2018, Sanchez has faced several obstacles: voter fatigue with his left-wing government, soaring inflation and falling purchasing power in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.</p>.<p>He has struggled to contain the fallout from repeated crises between the Socialists and their hard-left coalition partner Podemos.</p>.<p>The PP secured just over seven million votes (31.52 percent) in the municipal elections, compared with nearly 6.3 million for the Socialists (28.11 percent).</p>.<p>The figures are a major blow for Sanchez, whose Socialist party governs the eurozone's fourth-largest economy in coalition with the far-left Podemos.</p>.<p>"We have won a clear victory and Spain has taken the first steps towards a new political era," said the jubilant opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, head of the right-wing Popular Party (PP) in a victory speech early on Monday.</p>.<p>But the PP will only be able to govern in several regions with the support of the far-right Vox, also a winner in Sunday's polls -- which poses a major headache for Feijoo.</p>.<p>Vox, the third-largest party in parliament, is hoping to become an indispensable partner for the PP -- both at a regional level and, ultimately, nationally.</p>.<p>Aware that the key to winning the general election is conquering the centre, Feijoo has sought to moderate the PP's line while also keeping Vox at a distance.</p>.<p>In Madrid, the PP was celebrating a double win, with its hardline regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso winning an absolute majority meaning she will no longer have to rely on Vox for support.</p>.<p>And the capital's PP mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, was also reelected with an absolute majority.</p>
<p>Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a surprise July 23 snap election on Monday, a day after his Socialists suffered a drubbing in local and regional polls.</p>.<p>Widely seen as a dress rehearsal for a general election that had been expected at the end of the year, Sunday's polls saw the main opposition conservative Popular Party chalk up the largest number of local votes.</p>.<p>The PP also scored significant gains at a regional level, seizing six regions that had been under Socialist control.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/biden-spains-sanchez-to-discuss-russia-ukraine-war-at-white-house-1218155.html" target="_blank">Biden, Spain's Sanchez to discuss Russia-Ukraine war at White House</a></strong></p>.<p>In a televised address, Sanchez said he had informed King Felipe VI of his decision to dissolve parliament and "call a general election" on July 23.</p>.<p>"I have taken this decision in light of the results of yesterday's elections," he said.</p>.<p>"As the head of the government and of the Socialist party, I take responsibility for the results and I think it is necessary to respond and submit our democratic mandate to the popular will."</p>.<p>The polls will come shortly after Spain takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union on July 1.</p>.<p>In office since 2018, Sanchez has faced several obstacles: voter fatigue with his left-wing government, soaring inflation and falling purchasing power in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.</p>.<p>He has struggled to contain the fallout from repeated crises between the Socialists and their hard-left coalition partner Podemos.</p>.<p>The PP secured just over seven million votes (31.52 percent) in the municipal elections, compared with nearly 6.3 million for the Socialists (28.11 percent).</p>.<p>The figures are a major blow for Sanchez, whose Socialist party governs the eurozone's fourth-largest economy in coalition with the far-left Podemos.</p>.<p>"We have won a clear victory and Spain has taken the first steps towards a new political era," said the jubilant opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, head of the right-wing Popular Party (PP) in a victory speech early on Monday.</p>.<p>But the PP will only be able to govern in several regions with the support of the far-right Vox, also a winner in Sunday's polls -- which poses a major headache for Feijoo.</p>.<p>Vox, the third-largest party in parliament, is hoping to become an indispensable partner for the PP -- both at a regional level and, ultimately, nationally.</p>.<p>Aware that the key to winning the general election is conquering the centre, Feijoo has sought to moderate the PP's line while also keeping Vox at a distance.</p>.<p>In Madrid, the PP was celebrating a double win, with its hardline regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso winning an absolute majority meaning she will no longer have to rely on Vox for support.</p>.<p>And the capital's PP mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, was also reelected with an absolute majority.</p>